The last couple of days have been quite tough. On Saturday I was at Serpentine Falls (with Jodi and Rachel) when a 21 year old slipped off a ledge near the falls, landed on rocks about 20m beneath her and then into the water. When I got home later that afternoon the news reports confirmed she had died (with severe head injuries). Since then I have been plagued with flashbacks of the event, so much so that on Saturday night I just could not sleep. I had difficulty eating, sleeping and simply being myself. Everytime I closed my eyes I could see it over and over. Talking about it helped, but then I began reliving the noises etc associated with the event. It was scary, traumatic, and rather unbelievable. I am surprised at how little it has touched me emotionally. But I do feel extremely sorry for her loved ones and family, for her boyfriend who was up the top and had to see it happen, for those who had to swim out to here and pull her into shore, for those who had to hear my story, for those who had to silently suffer, for those who grieve and sorrow. At the same time it is rather agitating and frustrating because I keep thinking about it.
Today I am feeling much better. I slept well, am eating normally, and the flashbacks are slowly disappearing.
But something like this makes you really wonder and think. Mum reminded me of the Year 7 graduation speech I heard a month ago. Nothing is coincedence. It was not chance that we changed our plans and happened to be at the falls at that particular time. It was not coincedence that I was there to witness the traumatic event. Everything happens for a purpose, and God is always in control. I will never know why God chose to take her life at that particular point in time, or why I was there to witness it. But what I do know, which has been emphasised again, is that life is fleeting. God can call us at any time. It's difficult to think this way, for we as humans cannot always comprehend His works and divine decree. Yet "the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind" (Job 12:10). And I think it is sometimes good to ponder these things. For me it makes me feel so small in such a beautiful, amazing world, created by an awesome God.
At times we cannot understand why. Yet we can be thankful for the life God has given us, and the new life we have in Jesus Christ. So then the aim is to glorify Him in everthing, as the One who creates and gives life, and as the One who is in control. As the One who has placed us on the earth to praise Him and to spread His Name.
Today I am feeling much better. I slept well, am eating normally, and the flashbacks are slowly disappearing.
But something like this makes you really wonder and think. Mum reminded me of the Year 7 graduation speech I heard a month ago. Nothing is coincedence. It was not chance that we changed our plans and happened to be at the falls at that particular time. It was not coincedence that I was there to witness the traumatic event. Everything happens for a purpose, and God is always in control. I will never know why God chose to take her life at that particular point in time, or why I was there to witness it. But what I do know, which has been emphasised again, is that life is fleeting. God can call us at any time. It's difficult to think this way, for we as humans cannot always comprehend His works and divine decree. Yet "the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind" (Job 12:10). And I think it is sometimes good to ponder these things. For me it makes me feel so small in such a beautiful, amazing world, created by an awesome God.
At times we cannot understand why. Yet we can be thankful for the life God has given us, and the new life we have in Jesus Christ. So then the aim is to glorify Him in everthing, as the One who creates and gives life, and as the One who is in control. As the One who has placed us on the earth to praise Him and to spread His Name.
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